S. 2484Senate117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

CRP Flexibility Act of 2021

Sponsored by John ThuneSen. John Thune (R-SD)
Introduced July 27, 2021

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 5:43 AM UTC

The CRP Flexibility Act of 2021 requires the Secretary of Agriculture to allow emergency haying on Conservation Reserve Program lands even during the primary nesting season when a localized or regional emergency such as severe drought, flooding, or wildfire occurs. The change is aimed at helping landowners respond to natural disasters while trying to avoid permanent damage to the habitat. It primarily affects farmers and ranchers enrolled in the CRP and the wildlife that use those lands for nesting.

Key Provisions

  • Adds a new emergency haying provision that can be used during or outside the primary nesting season if the county is classified as severe drought (D2) or worse, or if there is at least a 40% loss in forage production, or if the Secretary, with the State technical committee, determines it will not cause permanent damage to the cover.
  • Specifies that the emergency haying rule applies to all CRP practices and clarifies that emergency grazing and other emergency uses remain permitted.
  • Amends the existing law to replace language that limited emergency haying to outside the primary nesting season, allowing it during the nesting season under the defined emergency conditions.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text: CR S5106)

July 27, 2021

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

July 27, 2021

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text: CR S5106)

July 27, 2021

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 2484 on the floor

1 Republican
John Thune
Sen. John ThuneR-SD · Jul 27, 2021

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued July 27, 2021

II

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 2484

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 27, 2021

Mr. Thune (for himself, Ms. Smith, Mr. Rounds, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Hoeven, and Mr. Cramer) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

A BILL

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to allow emergency haying under the conservation reserve program during the primary nesting season.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Conservation Reserve Program Flexibility Act of 2021 or the CRP Flexibility Act of 2021.

2.

Emergency haying during the primary nesting season

Section 1233(b)(1) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3833(b)(1)) is amended—

(1)

in subparagraph (A)(ii), by inserting subject to subclauses (I) and (III) of clause (i), and subclauses (I) and (II) of clause (ii), of subparagraph (B), before are subject to; and

(2)

in subparagraph (B)(i)—

(A)

by redesignating subclauses (I) through (VI) as subclauses (II) through (VII), respectively;

(B)

by inserting before subclause (II) (as so redesignated) the following:

(I)

emergency haying in response to a localized or regional drought, flooding, wildfire, or other emergency, on all practices, during or outside the primary nesting season, when—

(aa)

the county is designated as D2 (severe drought) or greater according to the United States Drought Monitor;

(bb)

there is at least a 40 percent loss in forage production in the county; or

(cc)

the Secretary, in coordination with the State technical committee, determines that the program can assist in the response to a natural disaster event without permanent damage to the established cover;

;

(C)

in subclause (II) (as so redesignated), in the matter preceding item (aa), by striking emergency haying, emergency grazing, or other emergency use and inserting emergency grazing or other emergency use; and

(D)

in subclause (IV) (as so redesignated), by striking outside the primary nesting season and inserting during or outside the primary nesting season.